Young Men in Transition Helps Lake Charles Kids Transition into Adulthood

Local non-profit organization Young Men in Transition, a group which attempts to empower young men in the Lake Charles area, recently received a $500 donation from Nissan of Lake Charles.

Executive board member, Craig Ryan, says that the donation will go a long way in helping the organization to become better-rounded. Though, Young Men in Transition (YMT) has already made great strides in achieving their main goals of fostering the education of young males in personal and interpersonal communications, drug and alcohol prevention, financial literacy, sex education, respect for authority, and the effects of having a positive attitude.

Wanda Ramirez was seeking to fill a void in the lack of mentors for young men from the ages of 10 to 17 in the Lake Charles when she created the organization in 2009. Ryan says that now that the group is out of its infancy, they are beginning to see the fruits of their labor as some of their earliest members are reaching adult hood. Under the tutelage of the organization, these early members are readying themselves for college, and are on their way to live responsible lives.

Kids involved are taught through both classroom education, and entertained through field trips. The group has recently made trips to art museums, and Kemah Island. Ryan said, “The group also serves as an enrichment program for these kids.”

Ryan said, “We mentor at-risk kids, but we’ll take any child that is lacking leadership in their lives.” These children are taught these important life skills by the team of mentors that have eagerly joined the group, such as local business leaders, and members of organizations such as The Hundred Black Men and the North Lake Charles Kiwanis.

The group is planning to eventually begin mentoring females, so the group urges anyone who would like to be involved to email Wanda Ramirez at youngmenintransition@yahoo.com for more information.